A Manatee County sheriff's deputy shot and killed a 31-year-old Oneco man this morning after the man allegedly ran toward officers while brandishing a samurai sword.

Sheriff Brad Steube said as officers arrived at a house located in the 3500 block of 58th Ave. E. in Oneco, Terry M. Sellars Jr., came out the front door and “charged” at the deputy with a “very large” sword over his head at about 9:30 a.m. The sheriff said Sellars sometimes spelled his last name Sellers.

Steube would not name the officer who shot and killed Sellars, saying the investigation was ongoing. But he did say the deputy was a 10-year veteran of the force and is now on paid administrative leave. The deputy was not injured in the incident.

Authorities said the incident began at about 8 a.m. when Sellars' mother called authorities from a nearby Circle K gas station at State Road 70 and 33rd Street East.

The mother told deputies that her son had hit her twice with a phone book and had choked her. Another son, Casey Whitaker, who arrived on scene after the shooting, told the Herald-Tribune that his mother had several neck surgeries in the past.

The mother told deputies while Sellars was hitting her, she was not able to leave the house where they lived with Sellars' adult sister. At one point the mother was able to call 911 from the house, but Sellars allegedly grabbed the phone from her and went into a back bedroom.

When he went to the back of the house, Sellars' mother was able to escape and take a pickup to the gas station.

The mother filled out an affidavit, and deputies went to the house to arrest Sellars on charges of battery and false imprisonment at about 9:30 a.m.

Four deputies arrived on the scene in three cars. One of the deputies left his car up the street and rode outside of a sheriff's dog unit car standing on a step rail.

Steube said the officer did not ride inside the car because it could have agitated the dog, which is typically used to only having its handler in the car.

As the three sheriff's vehicles pulled up to the house, which is located at the end of a winding dirt road, the deputy hanging onto the outside of the dog unit stepped off of the SUV's step rail and began to move toward the front of the car. All other deputies were inside vehicles.

As the deputy began to move toward the front of the car, Sellars allegedly ran out of the home's front door with the samurai sword above his head.

Steube did not know if Sellars said anything as he ran toward deputies.

Steube said the deputy yelled at Sellars to stop, but the man continued to “charge” at the deputies. Steube estimated the deputy was about 40 feet away from Sellars when the deputy began to shoot.

Stuebe said the deputy fired “several” shots, but a neighbor whose house backs up to the dirt road on which the shooting scene was located said she heard five or six gunshots.

Sellars was declared dead at the scene.

Deputies blocked 58th Avenue East Thursday morning to everyone except residents who could show they lived on the street.

Whittaker, Sellars' brother, said his father called him with the news this morning.

Whittaker said he knew his brother had been arrested a few times but was unsure of the charges. He said he was doing “better” since he was released from jail.

“Growing up we weren't that close, but he was my brother,” Whittaker said. “He was the only one I had, so I tried to be the best brother that I could be.”

He paused and added: “It's still pretty devastating that I'm not going to be able to come and see my brother anymore.”

He said he last saw Sellars a couple of weeks ago.

“I told him I loved him.”

A Manatee County sheriff's officer, responding to a call of domestic abuse, shot and killed a 31-year-old man this morning.

Sheriff Brad Steube said as officers tried to enter the home in the 3500 block of 58th Ave. E. the suspect, who was brandishing a samurai sword over his head, moved toward the deputies. A deputy opened fire, killing the man.

The shooting victim was identified as Terry L. Sellars, 31. Sellars sometimes spelled his last name "Sellers," Sherrif Steube said.

The incident started at about 8 a.m. when the suspect's mother told police her son was beating her with a phone book. The mother called 911 and left the phone off the hook. She escaped to a nearby gas station and called 911 a second time, deputies said.

Four sheriff's officers responded. Two tried to enter the home from the front and two from the back. Authorities did not say where the officer was positioned when he shot the man or how many bullets the officer fired.

A neighbor who lives nearby said she heard 5 to 6 gunshots.

Authorities have blocked off 58th Avenue East except to local traffic.

Steube, who was en route to a law enforcement conference, cancelled his trip and is at the scene.

A neighbor who lives near shooting said she heard between five and six gunshots.

Check back at HeraldTribune.com for updates on this developing story and follow reports on Twitter @shelbywebb.

EARLIER: A Manatee County Sheriff's deputy fatally shot a man here at about 9:30 this morning at the scene of a domestic situation.

When the man came at deputies with samurai sword, deputies shot and killed him, according to the Manatee County sheriff.

The 31-year-old man's mother called 911 at about 8 a.m. to report that her son had hit her and held her against her will. The woman was able to escape to a nearby Circle K gas station, where she called police again. Four deputies responded to the call at the woman's home.

Details remained scarce less than an hour later, but sheriff's officials said the shooting happened in the 3500 block of 58th Ave. E. in Oneco, near U.S. 301 and State Road 70.

The condition of the person who was shot was not immediately known. The deputy was not injured.